Hi there

[ãłþħά-∆9]

Endless time loop!?

You didn't choose to post here because you choose to post here, you choose to post here because you decided to choose to post here 

[bontrose]

or i made no decision and somthing jolts my arm forcing my finger down on the mouse clicking the post button leaving it out of the matter

[ãłþħά-∆9]

I dunno, it'd take alot of lucky jolts to type out a whole sentence and hit post 

[bontrose]

but in theory it is Plausible while it may be highly improbable,
but with enough marbles falling onto the keybourd it could happen

[Exousia]

I choose to post here again because I choose to post here again.

Now you're getting into free will, destiny, that kind of thing.

[bontrose]

but is there really free will or are actions determined by the events that have preceded it?

[Exousia]

Free will could be defined as our perception of experiences as well. I work with a lot of dementia patients and they cannot form decisions at this moment based on any recent input, so it's interesting to see how their decision-making process goes and even more interesting to look at that through the lens of a free will argument. You find very quickly that someone for whom new experiences beyond a certain point in their memory cannot influence their decisions now, still find ways to express their free will in new ways, even if their behavior is generally predictable, so much depends on simple things like whether you're smiling or frowning when you approach them.

[docslax]

but is there really free will or are actions determined by the events that have preceded it?

Some theorize that there is an element to humanity that in some circles I've led seminars for is referred to as the 'machine' (the movie The Matrix was based of this, the ideology being Landmark Education). It's a predefined response that we auto generate based on past experiences and the machines only function is to 'protect'. However like any machine it has bugs. For instance. Imagine being a teen and you see a pretty girl on the bus you go talk to her and for whatever reason (like she is grumpy) she tells you to go away but not as politely.. and those around hear and laugh. At that point in time your 'machine' decides for you on a subconscious level that will never talk to a pretty girl in a public place... why? because it is trying to protect you from what you considered to be a negative emotion... embarrassment. The same ideology believes that you can learn to recognize this 'machine' and then choose in that instant whether to act on it or not. So in some sense yes actions are determined by preceding events but who ultimately gets a say in your life? Consider that you do!

[ãłþħά-∆9]

The 'machine' sounds like the brain to me, rather than an actual machine controlling our minds!
You stick your hand in a fire, it burns, the 'machine' protects you from doing it again, but you can still go ahead and do it again.
I see what you're saying though, by objectifying this non-thought automatic process. we can learn to recognise it as automatic and therefore override it...

Maybe free-will can be grouped into conscious and unconscious free-will, and the key to life is becoming conscious of the unconscious...

Who needs monks eh

[bontrose]

or it could have no free will due to the fact that everything no matter how unlikely happens and every possible thing is another split off almost parallel

[ãłþħά-∆9]

d**n bontrose and his quantum theories.

[Exousia]

You mean the theory that for every decision which is made, the alternative decision is played out in another reality?

[bontrose]

yes and the # of alternates would just keep increasing

the main family of realities would be:

1 singularity expanding 13.9-15 Bya
2singularity not expanding

[Zacari]

If you say it in that way, it means that the amount of alternative realities in theory are is too great to even be conceived by us.

It'll probably be (some number)*10^(a six digit number of some sort).

I am awesome. Understand that.

[Brok Ironfist]

If you say it in that way, it means that the amount of alternative realities in theory are is too great to even be conceived by us.

It'll probably be (some number)*10^(a six digit number of some sort).

I am awesome. Understand that.

If, as you say, that the number is too great for us to even conceive of, how can a you possibly give a formula.